Saturday in Hawkville

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WORD OF THE DAY
Wet. As in, it never rained that hard during either practice – just enough to make the field slippery and leave some of the players from the South wondering what they’ve gotten themselves into.

While several players did lose their footing at various times, the dreary conditions did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm.

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Red Bryant. The more you see of the rookie defensive tackle from Texas A&M the more there is to like.

The Seahawks selected him in the fourth round because they need his 318-pound body to clog running lanes. But Bryant also has some ability as a pass-rusher.

Just ask second-year guard Mansfield Wrotto. On one snap in the pass-rush drill, Bryant put the bully in bull rush by getting off the ball before Wrotto could set himself and powering his way past the flailing would-be blocker.

POSITION WATCH
Kicker. When veteran Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu had their most extended field-goal competition of this camp during the afternoon practice, there were a lot of eyes focused on them. There was special teams coach Bruce DeHaven and his assistant, John Jamison, of course. But club president Tim Ruskell and vice president of player personnel Ruston Webster also were watching their every move.

That will happen when you’re kicking to replace a clutch performer like Josh Brown, who jumped to the St. Louis Rams in free agency.

“I don’t let that bother me too much,” Coutu said of being a focal point in practice despite kicking on a side field. “They’re all going to be at the games, so I think I can handle that.”

Mare was machine-like in drilling a series of kicks from increasing distances through the uprights. Coutu had a couple of misses among his 20-kick series, but also hit a 49-yarder.

“That’s the great thing about competition,” he said. “If you’re out here by yourself, you’re not competing with anybody. It’s nice to have some competition. He goes out there and knows every kick counts, and I go out there and know every kick counts.

“Even though it’s a friendly competition, it’s going to make us both better.”

Coutu has been working with former NFL kickers Morten Andersen and Kevin Butler, who shortened Coutu’s approach from three to two steps without costing him any power or distance.